title: Upper airway obstruction in Norwich Terriers: 16 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Norwich Terriers have grown increasingly popular as show animals and pets, and awareness of respiratory problems within the breed is growing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe components of obstructive upper airway syndrome in a nonbrachycephalic terrier breed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen Norwich Terriers; 12 with and 4 without clinical signs of respiratory disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case series. Physical and laryngoscopic examinations were performed by 1 investigator in all dogs. Medical and surgical interventions were summarized and results of follow-up examination or owner reports were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population was comprised of 9 females (6 intact) and 7 males (5 intact). Median age was 3.0 years (range, 0.5-11 years). Of 12 dogs presented for a respiratory complaint, physical examination was normal in 4 dogs. Laryngoscopic examination was abnormal in 11/12 dogs with redundant supra-arytenoid folds, laryngeal collapse, everted laryngeal saccules, and a narrowed laryngeal opening in most. Of 4 dogs lacking clinical signs, all had normal physical examination; however, 3/4 dogs had similar appearance of the larynx to dogs with clinical signs. Response to surgical intervention was minimal to moderate in all dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Norwich Terriers suffer from an upper airway obstructive syndrome that differs from that encountered in brachycephalic breeds. Affected dogs are difficult to identify without laryngoscopic examination because of the lack of clinical signs and abnormalities in physical examination findings, despite severe airway obstruction. Care is warranted when anesthetizing Norwich Terriers because of the small size of the laryngeal opening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mayhew
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Steffey
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: McKiernan
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Anesthesiology; Computed tomography; Genetics; Larynx; Pharynx; Respiratory tract endoscopy; Respiratory tract surgery